A Global Plastics Treaty
A challenge for any solution to pellet pollution is how to ensure global co-ordination and compatibility across complex international supply chains. Plastic pellets are a major source of upstream plastic pollution globally, with devastating impacts on communities, wildlife and livelihoods.
A Global Plastic Treaty (technically known as the International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution) is currently being negotiated at the United Nations, offering a significant opportunity to end plastic pellet pollution across the world and throughout supply chains. The inclusion of plastic pellets (nurdles) in a final Global Plastics Treaty is essential to prevent more pellets entering the environment.
Resources and information related to the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations can be found below.
What’s next?
Following the conclusion of the thirds round of negotiation (INC-3) in November 2023, the fourth round of negotiations (INC04) will be taking place in Ottawa, Canada in April 2024.
More information will be release in the coming months.
Opportunity
This could provide a unique platform to discuss and agree the implementation of the solutions such as a supply chain approach. It could allow for global uptake of working solutions developed in one region.
Challenge
Getting support for having pellet action in a global agreement may be difficult while there are few/no regional working examples of legislation.
Current Activity
Negotiations are on going. The next INCs have been agreed and will take place as follows:
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- INC-4 Ottawa, Canada (April 2024)
- INC-5 the Republic of Korea (Oct/Nov 2024)
Actions
We can all help raise awareness of the issue and solutions needed to help show public support for action from governments.
NGOs are asking governments in the negotiations to:
- Call for eliminating pellet loss and spills across the supply chain
- Call for verification of pellet pollution prevention measures and reporting of any losses or spills of pellets
- Call for remediation and disaster response protocols in the event of pellet pollution
- Call for compensation for communities and wildlife impacted by pellet pollution
- Call for safe, circular responsible production through stopping the loss of pellets, preventing the use of harmful chemicals and ending overproduction of plastic.